24.How is Turner's theory of both geography and the Frontier demonstrated in the Phoenician culture?

Return to History 8 Near East Questions

The Phoenician culture is very well-known for its naval dominance and expansion of sea trade. "How, exactly, did this come to be?" one may ask. By looking to Turner’s theory of geography, we can answer this question somewhat easily. The Phoenician city-states were located along the West Coast of Lebanon, opening up to the Eastern waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Basically, all of these locations were ports. Turner’s thesis, then, would presume that the Phoenicians would adapt to their homeland/sea and become master craftsmen of boats, fishing materials, and other water-related things. Turner’s thesis, in this case, is right because the Phoenicians set forth a spark in the innovation of sea ships, building the trireme for war, and further advancing on their current model of a cargo ship. The other part of Turner’s thesis states that civilizations on a frontier “tend to be open to new things and to strive for what [is] new.” (1) The Phoenicians’ vast expansion of sea trade clearly indicates that Turner was right once again because it has been said that there was nothing that was “typically Phoenician” (2). They borrowed from aspects from all of the other cultures that they traded with, from Greece to Britain (3). It is apparent that Turner could not have been more correct with regard to the Phoenicians when he wrote his thesis than he was.

Images:

A Phoenician Trireme

The Extent of Phoenician Trade

Sources:

1: Origins Manual, page 4

2: Class Notes

3: http://phoenicia.org/trade.html

Thomas Grannen